The Fate of the Thirteen Jewish Orphans Left in the Care
of the Zionist Youth Group in the Ghetto of Horodenka 1941-1942

By Reuven Prifer

Translated from Hebrew and donated by
Tosia Schneider

One day, the authorities decided to remove the Jewish children
from the general orphanage which was established during the
Soviet regime. In accordance with their racial laws, they threw
out the 13 Jewish orphans, ranging in age from two to five years.
The Judenrat asked the Zionist youth group to provide for the care
of these children in our homes. We did not know how to begin, we
had no experience of taking care of children, but we had to
make the necessary arrangements

With the help of Dr. CHARASCH, the son-in-law of Simcha SCHNITZER,
the children were housed briefly in his house, until we succeeded
in collecting beds and linens and even toys and moved them to the
second floor in the house of Mr. KAMIL, where a soup kitchen
had already been established by a group of Zionist youth managed
by Tovia KORN. Thus, adding to our other duties, we undertook the
additional work of caring for these children. We were also
helped by a few refugee women. In a few days, we overcame all
the difficulties connected with the care of the children, as
well as running the kitchen, it simply became a daily routine. It
is fitting to note that the operation of the kitchen, as well as
the education of the children, were all conducted in Hebrew. All
members of our working group were well versed in the Hebrew language
(all had completed the "Tarbut" Hebrew School).

We all undertook this difficult and gloomy work
voluntarily, without pay, but we found our reward in the progress and
the development of the children. Unfortunately, this lasted only a
very short time. In the first "AKCIA" on December 4, 1941, the
Gestapo captured 2500 Jews in our city, among them the thirteen
orphans, together with those of our staff who were on duty
at that time. They all found their death in the village of
Michalcze-Siemakowcze and lie there in the mass grave of our
people.

Among the friends of the Zionist youth group who helped in the orphanage
and the soup kitchen were the following people:

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